What does celebrate mean?
To celebrate is to mark a significant or joyful occasion with festivities, gatherings, or special activity — whether that means throwing a party for a birthday, honoring a national holiday, or simply acknowledging good news with friends. The word carries strongly positive connotations of joy, gratitude, and communal recognition. Beyond festive contexts, celebrate also means to praise or extol someone or something publicly, as when critics celebrate an artist's achievement, and it has a specific liturgical sense: a priest celebrates Mass by performing the rite. Derived from the Latin celebrare, meaning 'to frequent' or 'to honor,' English adopted the verb in the sixteenth century. Its derivatives include celebration, celebrated, and celebratory. Because it spans everyday festivity, public tribute, and sacred ritual, celebrate is a versatile word that appears constantly in news writing, personal conversation, and religious language alike, making it essential vocabulary for expressing both joy and admiration.
verbTo acknowledge a significant or happy day or event with a social gathering, ceremony, or enjoyable activity; also to praise publicly, or to perform a religious rite such as Mass.
- To mark a happy or significant occasion with festivities, a gathering, or special activity.
- To praise or honor someone or something publicly.
- To perform a religious ceremony or rite, especially the Eucharist or Mass.
"The whole town gathered in the square to celebrate the team's championship win."
"We celebrated her graduation with dinner at her favorite restaurant."
"The novel celebrates the quiet heroism of ordinary people."
"Father O'Brien will celebrate morning Mass at seven o'clock."
When ancient Romans 'celebrated' something, they were literally crowding around it — the word traces back to Latin celeber, meaning 'frequented' or 'thronged.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of celebrate
Celebrate comes from the Latin verb celebrare, meaning 'to frequent in great numbers, throng, or honor,' itself derived from celeber, meaning 'frequented' or 'renowned.' The word entered English in the sixteenth century, initially carrying senses of performing rites publicly and of praising widely. It shares its Latin root with celebrity, which originally denoted fame or renown before narrowing to mean a famous person.
Related word forms
How celebrate is actually used
Standard in all registers. In religious contexts (e.g., 'celebrate Mass'), the celebrant is typically the priest officiating; this usage is formal but common in liturgical writing.
Easily confused with celebrate
A celibate person abstains from sexual relations, whereas to celebrate is to mark a happy occasion with festivities or praise — the words share only a superficial resemblance.